How and Why to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Consider what happens when you don’t get enough sleep. In addition to other things that may interfere with your sleep like schedule changes or stress, people living with diabetes can have potential complications with sleep. Both high and low blood sugar levels can interrupt your sleep. People living with type 2 diabetes who don’t get a good night’s sleep may have a harder time controlling blood sugar levels. Sleep apnea is also common in people living with type 2 diabetes, and neuropathy can cause leg pain that keeps you awake.

The good news: it’s entirely possible to control these situations and get a long, healthy night of rest. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting better sleep.

1. Relax before bedtime. Exercise and other moderate to vigorous activities should be done three hours before bedtime. Chores, errands…have it all finished at least an hour before you go to bed.
2. If you can, go to bed at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Try not to take a nap late during the day.
3. Don’t eat a heavy meal right before bedtime, and don’t drink alcohol or caffeine late at night.
4. In fact, limit all fluids before bedtime to avoid waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Also, use the bathroom right before you go to bed.
5. If you’re stressed out, try relaxation techniques like meditating, deep breathing, yoga, reading a favorite book, listening to calm music, or writing in a journal.
6. Make your room comfortable: not too cold or hot, quiet, and dark. If you currently use your bedroom as an office or another TV room, rethink this arrangement. Make your bedroom a place to rest, not to get distracted.
7. Put all electronics away before bedtime, especially mobile devices like your smartphone or your tablet.
8. We know you love your pets, but they can interrupt your sleep so try to keep them off the bed or out of your room altogether if you have allergies (diabetes alert dogs excluded, of course).

It is important to check your blood sugar level before bedtime. To avoid going low blood sugar overnight, experiment with bedtime snacks that will keep your blood sugar normal overnight, like hummus or guacamole with vegetables.

If you are having trouble sleeping, we hope these tips will help. However, if you’re still struggling to get a good nights rest, or if someone tells you that you have a snoring problem, consider talking to your doctor or pharmacist. Snoring is an indicator of sleep apnea, which is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, acid reflux, and fatigue.

Reference

Doheny, K (2018). Chronic Insomnia Increases Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Retrieved from: https://www.endocrineweb.com/news/diabetes/58256-chronic-insomnia-raises-risk-type-2-diabetes. Accessed August 3 2020.